Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have proved to be a deadly threat to unarmoured military vehicles such as trucks and high mobility multipurpose vehicles (Humvees) which lack sufficient armor protection. IEDs have further evolved in lethality to menace wheeled armored vehicles such as the “Stryker”, as well as tracked vehicles such as main battle tanks.
The effectiveness of IEDs is especially apparent in asymmetrical warfare scenarios such as found in Middle East conflicts, where there is no clear frontline and no completely secure rear areas where vehicles can operate with impunity. Casualty lists numbering in the thousands are sad testament to the effects of IEDs on unarmored and insufficiently armored vehicles as used in the field today.
While steps have been taken to “up-armor” vehicles, for example, by permanently attaching rolled homogeneous armor plate (RHA) to the sides and undersides of vehicles, there are drawbacks to such measures. The armor plate adds significant weight to the vehicle and requires extensive and time consuming structural modifications to permanently mount the armor on the chassis, hull, or other parts of the vehicle. There is clearly a need for effective applique armor that can be easily mounted to vehicles (and removed therefrom when not required) to improve their resistance to blast damage from IEDs and other ballistic threats and thereby afford greater safety and survivability to their crews in combat.